Red FM,Big FM win big at Golden Mikes 2011

B Surendar,Senior Vice President – Sales,Red 93.5 FM Network said,The last one year has been an outstanding one when it came to providing customised and innovative solutions to our customers. Meanwhile,Reliance Broadcast Networks radio arm 92.7 BIG FM was adjudged the Best Radio Broadcaster of the Year 2011. 92.7 BIG FM also brought home two Golds and two Silvers. The station received gold awards for Most Unique Programming Idea/ Concept for Actor Calling Actor and Best Public service initiative by a radio station or a network of stations for self for a public interest promo that goes beyond the warning line to educate the character about the variety of dangerous ingredients in a cigarette and its eventual repercussions. The silver awards were given for the Most Unique Programming Idea / Concept called Yaadon Ka Idiot Box and Best Public service initiative by a radio station for Short Song,a humorous presentation of societal issues with a meaningful message and call for action. In a statement,Reliance Broadcast Network said,We are extremely pleased to have won the top honours at the prestigious Golden Mikes Awards and are thankful to all our stakeholders for their continued support and belief in the brand.

The Golden Mikes Awards 2011 recognises the role of advertising agencies,media agencies,clients,radio stations,production houses and others to the development of the radio in India.

I&B Ministry to issue notices to combat piracy

As per a notice issued by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB),multiplex owners will now have to screen an anti-piracy clip to educate consumers about the ill effects of piracy. The clippings have been prepared by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry).The Ministry has issued notices under section 12(4) of the Cinematographic Act,upon the request made by FICCI,as per which the multiplex owners are obliged to screen the videos,contravention of which may have implications of the license issued to multiplex owners. The latest action taken by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of issuing notices against piracy will go long way in building the culture of respecting Intellectual Property, Dr. Rajiv Kumar,Secretary General,FICCI said.

During a recent conference held by FICCI-IPR Division in Mumbai,it was highlighted that cineplexes are majorly used as a platform for piracy. Unscrupulous elements often indulge themselves in the act of piracy through camcording/recording films in cineplexes while these are being shown. Later such films find their way on internet and flood the market through pirated CDs. Piracy not only affects film producers but the government as well in the form of taxes slipping out of its hands. As per the latest statistical data of 2010 given by India Entertainment Media Outlook 2011,the loss that piracy has caused to entertainment industry is ‘5.2 billion.

UTV secures injunction on fake film casting agency

The Delhi High Court has passed an ad-interim injunction against a fake casting agency running under the name of UTV in Noida,UP based on a civil suit filed on December 12,2011 by UTV Software Communications,for infringement of registered trade mark,passing off and unfair trade competition,

Pursuant to a search conducted on the internet by UTV,it was revealed that there was a page displayed on the social networking site Facebook by the name UTV Entertainment Media Pvt. Ltd. vide a notice dated December 1,2011,UTV lodged a complaint with Facebook notifying them that the logo appearing on the Facebook page of UTV Entertainment Media Pvt. Ltd being deceptively similar to the registered logo of UTV. On receipt of the complaint the said platform has discontinued access to the page of UTV Entertainment Media Pvt. Ltd. The similarities in the two logos used by the plaintiff and defendants respectively was also pointed out to the Court.

The Court issued notice in the matter and further granted ad-interim injunction sought by the plaintiff (UTV) against all defendants including the unknown defendants,thereby restraining them from using the trademark/tradename of the plaintiff,passing off their services for those of the plaintiff and disposing off or dealing with their assets,in a manner which may adversely affect the plaintiffs ability to recover damages.

On December 10,2011,UTV also filed a Criminal Complaint under sections 463,465,469 read with section 470 of the Indian Penal Code for forgery and cheating against UTV Entertainment Media Private Limited with the Senior Superintendent of Police Gautam Budh Nagar,Noida.

Siddharth Roy Kapur,CEO,UTV Motion Pictures,said,There are many legitimate casting agencies that follow a strict code of conduct. But cases like these,where the names of reputed studios are used to dupe unsuspecting aspirants,unfortunately lead to suspicion in the general public about all casting agencies.